Thank you for the review! I'm a hobbyist creative writer so I tend to design from a narrative perspective and then make mechanics to match that narrative.
The ability berry is to protect the shepherds from being locked up in coffin makers actually! I had a test game where all of my shepherds got eaten by my Shroomlings at the start of my turn and I couldn't get them back out to score and win because they had coffin makers. :( Not sure if that is worthy of an ability berry, but it seemed like a bad interaction that a single crafted card could keep the shepherds from scoring.
Bowow! I love how interestingly complex you've managed to make this faction and keep the board so clean an readable. Bravo on that. The internal strife with Coup d'etat adds a wonderful feeling of managing a barely working governmental system that may swarm you (hehe) with differing opinions. Bravo!
I really like the monopoly items that this faction introduces to the game. Initially I was a bit overwhelmed by the different actions that can be taken, but the more I've looked at this faction I am charmed by how wonderfully you have captured the feel of a raiding party with the Count the Spoils action.
I really love the design of the Swarms movement. A pitfall that I feel some of the other Root factions fall into is that other than via battling they don't involve other players much. The swarms movement allowing players to reveal cards to redirect the swarm is fantastic, albeit in this from it is a bit wordy and could do with some simplification.
I also love factions that heavily affect how the board needs to be looked at. The Arid markers being left behind by the swarm very nicely gives the feeling of an encroaching inexhaustible tide.
Thanks! The Herd action doesn't require you to have a shepherd in the clearing that you are moving the shroomlings to so you can move a large ball of shroomlings around the board.
I'm a big fan of choices in boardgames and mechanics that have to make the player very observant of the board.
You've hit the gameplay loop exactly on the head and honestly I don't think it's too stable as it is. Much like a mold infestation if this faction ends up being ignored for too long at the end of the game it can grow out of control and have a huge point jump of somewhere between 12-15 points.
